The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire, #1)(101)

Mik and Raum ran past him and bent to help Lorelai to her feet while Jyn and Tor unchained Gabril.

“Are you okay?” Mik asked Lorelai.

“I’m all right. Irina is dead. And I’m pretty sure Kol is a little jealous that you seem more concerned about me than about him.”

Kol was mortified to realize he’d been thinking exactly that. He tried to give Lorelai a please-don’t-share-every-intimate-thought-I have-with-this-lot kind of look, but his friends surrounded him, thumping him on the back and hugging him.

“You did it,” Gabril said quietly to Lorelai, and the image in her thoughts showed Kol how much Gabril’s approval meant to her.

“We knew the moment the queen died,” Raum said. “It was like an earthquake rolled through the ground, straight toward Eldr, and the nasty magical creatures outside stopped fighting and crumpled into dust. I think the queen’s blood oath was satisfied and so her magic kept her side of the bargain as she died. Of course, we’ll need to go to Eldr to be sure, but I think the ogres might be sealed back into Vallé de Lumé again.”

Kol felt like the crown of Eldr suddenly weighed nothing at all. I need one of my friends to go ahead of us now and scout Eldr for the ogres so that so they can meet us on our journey home and let us know what to expect. Skies, it would be so much easier if I could just ask them myself.

Don’t worry. Lorelai sounded amused. You’re about to have the ability to share your thoughts for yourself.

“That’s enough of a reunion,” Lorelai said, and Kol was amazed to see that his friends, even Trugg, instantly paid attention to her. “I need to find Kol’s human heart and restore it..”

“I don’t know.” Trugg wiggled his brows at Kol. “I think the fact that he can’t order us around out loud is kind of fetching.”

Lorelai punched Trugg’s shoulder.

“What? Too soon?” Trugg asked.

Moments later, after placing her hand on Kol’s chest and whispering an incantor, Lorelai had located the gold box that held his heart. She picked it up gently and looked askance at his chest.

“This is my first heart restoration. I honestly have no idea how to do this.”

“I think you use your magic to put it back,” Jyn said helpfully.

Lorelai narrowed her eyes. “You don’t say.”

Irina sent her magic into me first and then my heart just sort of appeared in her hand.

Let’s hope it works just as well in reverse.

Her magic tingled in his blood, as familiar now to him as the beating of his own hearts. And then Lorelai, her face white with strain, was holding his heart in her hand and whispering an incantor over and over again as if she was terrified she’d get it wrong or it wouldn’t work.

His human heart began to beat in time with his dragon’s, and then it flickered like candlight caught in a draft. She said her incantor once more, and his heart disappeared from her hand and returned to its rightful place inside of him. His human skin felt soft and malleable, no longer the iron cage that had held his dragon form at bay. His thoughts were clear, no more violent whispers from is dragon’s heart, and words flowed easily to his tongue. He rubbed a palm against his chest and gave her a shy smile.

“Is this the point in our ongoing conversation where I tell you that you look—”

“Don’t even say it.” She smiled at him.

“I guess since we can have normal conversations now—”

“We should figure out how to block our thoughts?” Her smile slipped a little.

His did too.

Or not, he said. I kind of like having you in my head. Especially since I have to rule Eldr and you have to rule Ravenspire, so we’ll be spending time apart.

Not too much time. She sounded stern, though her smile was back in place as she leaned against him. I’m pretty sure I could find use for a dragon king—

Could you now? She laughed. Of course. A dragon king to help me tour my kingdom—

To kiss you senseless—

To save me time when I need to light a winter’s fire—

He leaned toward her. To kiss you senseless—

To help me find—

He kissed her. Her lips parted for his, her hands, full of magic, pressed against his hearts, and though he was miles from Eldr and everything he’d ever known, he was home.

“I’m going to be sick. Do you hear me?” Trugg sounded grumpy. “The two of you make me want to vomit.”

“Shut it, Trugg.” Raum shooed the rest of the Eldrians from the room. “Kol has more than earned this happiness.”

“I’d like a little happiness like that,” Trugg said as he walked out the door.

“Then maybe don’t talk about vomiting when there are girls present who might otherwise be interested in kissing you.” Jyn followed him from the room.

“You’re interested in kissing me?” Trugg sounded shocked.

“Not anymore.”

Kol pulled back from Lorelai and smiled as the door shut behind his friends. “They’re always like that.”

“I love them.” She took his hands. “And I love Eldr because it’s yours. Whenever you feel strong enough to shift, we’ll go there and make sure Irina’s blood oath got rid of the ogres. If it didn’t, I’ll take care of it.”